Lee Collet Neck Die

[Amazingrandy]

Does anyone use the Lee collet neck die? I just found my Lee die set that I forgot about because I had moved and thought about trying them. I always full length size my brass with an RCBS competion full length sizer for competition and have had no problems. I didnt know if maybe there was an advantage to just neck sizing my brass with these dies or if I should just stay with the full size die.

Thank you,

Erik

 

[ar15topgun]

I use a body die and the lee collet die on my .308 palma loads. By using the collet die I can control the neck tension on which ever brass I use be it Lapua or Winchester.

 

[Amazingrandy]

ar15, is the body die needed when using the collet neck die?...Or am I under the misconception that I can just neck size, and leave the rest of the brass sized to my chamber? Sorry for all of the questions in advance.

Erik

 

[XTR]

I use one got my 308s and I love it. If you are a bench rest shooter you may need better neck tension, but my F-TR loads hold 3/4 min of vertical at 1000 yards.

 

[Amazingrandy]

Thanks XTR, im probably going to try the die on some of my practice loads for next week since I have already loaded my rounds for this weekends competition with the full length die.

 

[ar15topgun]

The suggestion is to bump the shoulder back .001-.002 to keep from putting undo wear on your lugs plus the rounds do chamber so much easier.

 

[Amazingrandy]

ar, am I able to bump the shoulder back with the collet die, or are you talking about with ta body or FL die?

 

[jlow]

The Lee collet die does not touch the shoulder, only the neck.

 

[bsekf]

I use a collet die and because I do not run HOT loads, I only need to bump the shoulder every 4-6 reloads in my bolt guns. You can use a body die or a FL to bump the shoulder back .001-.002.

Bill

 

[Amazingrandy]

Thanks guys, all the info helps. But does anyone encounter stuck cases in their rifle by just neck sizing? Something I just dont want to happen when im in the middle of a competion.

 

[jlow]

If you are shooting an AR-15, you cannot neck size only. This is asking for trouble.

 

[ar15topgun]

You probably will not encounter a stuck case by I have witnessed guys on the line basically beating the bolt handle down to lock the lugs with the palm of their hand because they only neck size their brass. To me this can neither good for the action or their position. As for me I will bump the shoulder back .002 and enjoy easy chambering and no disruption to my position. What's really disturbing is to watch these same guys trying to open their action on a cease fire or having had to wait out a condition change with the round heat-soaking in that hot chamber. The same pounding going on to open the action to me is silly and should be avoided.

 

[ar15topgun]

As for an ar-15 if you do not fl resize it will not chamber again. By fl sizing it is a must that the shell holder bumps the bottom of the die so that not only is the shoulder pushed back .002-.004 but that the cartridge base is also resized.

 

[jlow]

If you read the literature with the Lee collet die, they say it is only for bolt gun only. What they really mean is that only a bolt gun can use just the die to resize the neck. With a gas gun you have to do what ar15topgun has already spelled out.

If you don’t, apart from problems with chambering, there is also the potential possibility of out of battery discharge. This is a theoretical thing where the bolt push the round forward into the chamber and if it stops short, the free floating firing pin can impact the primer which is sitting proud of the chamber and before it is fully chambered and locked – this will cause a catastrophic KB. Some people say that an AR-15 cannot do this and I don’t want to be in a long discussion about it but it is a potential big problem.

 

[bozo699]

If you read the literature with the Lee collet die, they say it is only for bolt gun only. What they really mean is that only a bolt gun can use just the die to resize the neck. With a gas gun you have to do what ar15topgun has already spelled out.

If you don’t, apart from problems with chambering, there is also the potential possibility of out of battery discharge. This is a theoretical thing where the bolt push the round forward into the chamber and if it stops short, the free floating firing pin can impact the primer which is sitting proud of the chamber and before it is fully chambered and locked – this will cause a catastrophic KB. Some people say that an AR-15 cannot do this and I don’t want to be in a long discussion about it but it is a potential big problem.

I use Lee collet dies and they work great but the key to accuracy is consistency so I bump the shoulder and size the base with a Redding body die as well, I use the Lee to lower runout problems on factory chambers with unturned necks.

As far as the free floating pin impacting the primer, I think we should have a full blown scientific discussion about it ;D
Wayne.

 

[jlow]

Trouble MAKER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 ;D

 

[bozo699]

Trouble MAKER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 ;D

I was hoping you would enjoy that ;D
Wayne.

 

[LongRanger]

I like to neck size after charging the case with powder and Dang'd female brass and my Lee collet die drove me nuts until I removed the mandrel. After doing that i found the amount of tension is very adjustable after setting it up so that the die is firmly in the press and the top knob is slightly compressing the O ring. With a little experimenting and making a couple of witness marks on the die barrel and the top knob, I can take a charged case and turn the knob to compress the neck in small increments until I get the bullet seating tension reading I want as shown on the dial indicator atop my KnM bullet seating force gage on my arbor press.

Once the collet starts compressing the neck, it takes very, very little knob movement to compress the neck diameter .001, so go slowly at first until you get the hang of it.

Neck runout has never exceeded .001 and loaded rounds coming out of my Wilson seater stay at .001, usually less.

Frank B.